Babel Novel
Chapter 44
“I sneaked out to play today, and my uncle is already super mad. If he finds out I haven’t finished my homework, he’s definitely going to spank me. So can you help me out?”
“Homework help, huh?”
Xanthea glanced at the stack of elementary school workbooks on the desk and nodded, “You’ve come to the right person, kiddo. I’m a total genius!””
“That’s awesome!”
They sat down at the desk, Xanthea flipping through the easy-peasy problems, “Which one should we start with
Sebastian said, “Language, I guess. I’m not great at it.”
“Alright, let’s start with the exercise then.”
Xanthea picked up a pencil and circled the question, when suddenly, a beautiful fruit platter appeared before her, filled with cherries strawberries, bananas, and peaches-all her favorites.
She looked up to see Orion, a bit surprised, “Mr. Lockwood, you’re too kind, bringing me this fruit platter yourself.”
“No problem. Need me to peel anything?” This is from NôvelDrama.Org.
Peel?
What here needs peeling?
As she pondered, she noticed the bananas. He meant the bananas?
It was unusual; people usually offer to peel apples or pears, but bananas?
For a moment, it felt like being back on the plane, when she heard him offer to pick bones out of fish-a surreal moment. How could such a considerate man be portrayed by the media as some ruthless tycoon?
“No need, I need to help Seb with his homework first.”
Orion glanced at Sebastian, who was munching on strawberries with his feet propped up, “Are you sure about tutoring him?”
Xanthea detected the skepticism in his voice and raised an eyebrow, “Doubting my skills?” Little did he know, she had graduated from Crestwood Hall Academy as the top student at the age of 18-a feat not achieved in nearly a century.
Why would he doubt a prodigy?
Orion stared at her, inspired by the fierce intelligence in her eyes, and said nothing. Xanthea decided to prove her mettle with action.
“Seb, let’s tackle the first question. Make a sentence using “I, “ballet, ‘grandpa, ‘a, ‘principal, ‘performed, and ‘for.”
Sebastian wiped his mouth and blurted out without thinking, “The principal and grandpa performed a ballet for me!”
Xanthea’s forehead creased, “You think you’re that influential to have the principal dance for you?”
“My grandpa performed a ballet for the principal?”
“Well, you are amazing.”
Sebastian furrowed his brows, seemingly stumped. Just as Xanthea was about to steer him toward using himself as the subject, he suddenly exclaimed, “The principal performed a ballet for my grandpa!”
Xanthea’s mouth twitched-Dare he say that again?
“Right? Xan, am I not super smart?”
Xanthea thought, “Smart, you’re a real genius!”
Xanthea felt a bit embarrassed, only to see Orion across the table, a faint smile playing at his lips, and she was unexpectedly dazzled.
Was this the first time she’d seen him smile?
She hadn’t expected that a man who usually seemed so aloof could have a smile that was so disarming, almost ethereal. She dared not imagine how weak at the knees she’d be if he whispered sweet nothings with that smile.
“Xan, come on, praise me! Stop staring at Uncle Orion!”
Sebastian shook her arm, and Xanthea realized she had been gazing at Orion for qu while. What if he thought she was some kind of flirt?
14:581